Meet Avari Copp | Small batch jewelry maker

We had the good fortune of connecting with Avari Copp and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Avari, we’d love for you to start things off by telling us something about your industry that we and others not in the industry might be unaware of?
One thing that I want to bring more awareness to through my business is the environmental impact of fast fashion. Before transitioning into full time small business owner, I worked as a apparel manager for a large corporation and saw first hand how much waste was produced from just one store. Shopping small not only allows independent artists to succeed in a competitive marketplace but also encourages shoppers to invest in work that will last generations and be passed down with love.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
Reed+Rush was truly born out of the desire to help people feel safe and authentic in their bodies. Humans have been adorning themselves since we could string a tooth and wear it and I find it wearing jewelry to be an incredibly personal act. I started making wearable art after I was invited to try silversmithing for the first and after I stamped my first piece I was completely hooked. I started stamping copper whenever I could and over time my symmetrical stamping patterns with stones naturally evolved out of that. My biggest challenge so far has been leaving my corporate job to pursue jewelry full time. But with the encouragement and support of the people who have fallen in love with my work, I made the leap and haven’t ever looked back.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Flagstaff and its surrounding areas have so much to offer its hard to pick! I would definitely take her to Sedona to see the Red Rocks and grab some wine at one of the local wineries. If we were feeling adventurous and the weather was good, we could hike on the San Francisco peaks and have a picnic lunch. The options are endless

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
While I would love to give an honorable mention to my friend and mentor Jay McCormick, I’d love to shoutout my best friend Julia for always pushing me to be a little braver with my business. We met through our mutual jewelry mentor and right away Julia gave me the encouragement I needed to take my first steps into really investing in my business. She gave me my first turquoise cabochon and I carried it around with me as a tiny talisman to remind myself what as possible. She has been my biggest supporter for the last 8 years and I’m so grateful for her.

Website: reedandrush.com

Instagram: reed.and.rush